Using NEW 2mm Swarovski Pearls to learn Right Angle Weave!

Hi Beady Friends! Leah here from Eureka Crystal Beads! I have 2 questions for you: Have you had a chance to play with Swarovski’s new 2mm pearls? Do you struggle with Right Angle Weave (RAW)? Well, you’re in luck, because I’m here to show you how you can use these teeny tiny lovely pearls to learn the basics of RAW. What makes them easier to work with, you ask? Well, learning basic RAW with seed beads can be tricker because seed beads can occasionally sit a little…wonky…until you’re in the flow of the stitch and in perfect control of your tension. However, if you start with a nice tiny round bead – like these amazing pearls – your beads will sit together more tightly and perfectly and EASILY, which will make it easier to know where to put your needle in order to keep adding to (and learning) the stitch. It’s also easier, in my humble opinion, to work with smaller beads when doing RAW since large beads will want to loosen a little more easily, making it harder to keep tight tension. So, check out my step-by-step instructions below for basic Right Angle Weave using Swarovski’s newest size and color of pearl!

*** NOTE: Beads tinted RED are highlighting the relevant thread path of the step. Beads tinted GREEN are designating new beads added in that step.

1) Pick up (4) 2mm Swarovski Crystal Pearls and bring them to within a few inches of the end of your Fireline. Sew back through all 4 beads and close them into a circle.

2) Pick up 3 new beads (green) and loop around and back through the bead you were coming out of at the end of the last step (red). You’ll want to exit the bead on the same side that your thread path was originally coming out of.

3) Continue through the next 2 beads in this new unit (red) – which are the first 2 beads of the 3 beads you added in step 2.

4) Pick up 3 new beads (green) and loop around and back through the bead you were coming out of at the end of the last step (red). You want to exit the bead on the same side that your thread path was originally. *This is exactly like step 2, only your thread is working in the opposite direction.

5) Continue through the next 2 beads in this new unit (red) – which are the first 2 beads of the 3 beads you added in step 4. *This is exactly like step 3, only your thread is working in the opposite direction.

6) Keep repeating steps 1-5 until you feel comfortable. Once you’re ready to start the next row, after picking up the next 3 beads and looping back around, continue though ALL 3 of the new beads (not just the first 2).

7) Pick up (3) new beads and loop back around and through the pearl you’re coming out of at the end of step 6.

8) Continue through the first of the 3 beads you added in step 7.

9) Pick up 2 new beads and continue through what will be the lower bead (floor) of this new unit (red).

10) Now, continue up the right wall of the previous unit (far-right red bead), across the ceiling of that unit (top most red bead), down the left wall of that unit, and the new floor we were exiting out of at the end of step 9. Pick up (2) new beads and go back down through the *new* right wallof this new unit. SEE DIAGRAM for thread path. If this is confusing, set your beadwork down in the same manner as the picture so you can easily count beads in from the side if it helps

11) Continue through the floor and up the left wall – which is the 1st of the 2 new beads you added in step 10.

12) Continue steps 8-11 to complete this row! (See image) and then begin back at step 7 to start the next row of RAW.

*** Try not to get discouraged if it doesn’t ‘click’ on the first attempt. Right Angle Weave is actually tough for many beaders (it’s all that looping!) so if at first you don’t succeed…. Rip it out and try again. 😉 Consider checking out my VIDEO TUTORIAL on basic Right Angle Weave on our YouTube channel as well!

Another bead that works well for learning RAW are Swarovski Crystal Bicones – they sit together nicely for this stitch. Just be careful when pulling to avoid breaking your line as crystal tend to have sharper edges than many other beads. Consider doubling your thread or looping twice through everything!

Was this beading stitch tutorial helpful? Are there others you might want to see? Let me know in the comments below! We always love your feedback!